Saliva ejectors are widely used by both dentists and hygienists to aspirate saliva and the like from a patient's mouth while they are attending to the patient's teeth. Previously known saliva ejectors generally include a hollow tubular element connected at one end to a tongue protector and at the opposite end to a vacuum suction system. The tongue protector prevents injury to the patient's tongue by sharp dental instruments and the like. Openings are formed in either the tongue protector or the hollow tubular element. These openings in conjunction with the hollow tubular element and the vacuum suction system maintain the patient's mouth in a semi-dry state. Various conventional saliva ejectors are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,603,870; 2,830,371; 3,631,598; 3,777,756; 3,802,081; 4,017,975; and 4,325,695.
The above identified conventional saliva ejectors have several inherent disadvantages associated therewith. Specifically, conventional saliva ejectors consist of a plurality of components which must be disassembled prior to cleaning thereof and reassembled for use. Further, the individual components include a plurality of hard to reach recesses, notches and the like where bacteria, blood spores and similar debris can become lodged thus making it more difficult to clean the same. Moreover, the openings formed in known saliva ejectors for receiving saliva are partially or wholly obstructed by one or more of the components. Furthermore, hollow tubular elements include sections forming severely acute angles making it difficult or impossible to insert a percolator type brush through the tubular element to clean the same.